Buzz
1. Love
Poem's Lyrics:
Love is dying a little inside
Because rarely does love come with certainty
You give so much, yet receive so little
People turn away or remain indifferent
A moment of closeness feels like an hour of separation
As though the moon fades, flowers wither, and the soul fades away
Because rarely does love come with certainty!
- Love is dying a little inside
They lose their way in a haze of sorrow
Those who are infatuated follow the trail of love
And life becomes a desolate desert
Love is a thread that binds tightly
Love is dying a little inside.
When reading Xuân Diệu's poem, we see how deeply the poet understands the complex, layered emotional world of humans: Love is endless happiness, but love is also the deepest sorrow.
About the Poem:
- Genre: Modern Literature
- Poetry Collection: Thơ Thơ (1938)
Overview of the Poem:
Xuân Diệu's 'Love' describes the emotional turmoil of being in love. The poem reflects not only the poet's own experience but also the feelings of anyone who has ever loved or will love.
Giving your all to the one you love, striving to nurture that love, even sacrificing everything for it, yet wondering if the other truly understands the depth of your feelings, or if they remain indifferent to the sincerity of the lover. No matter how sincere or devoted, love is not always reciprocated.
Love is always a complex mixture of emotions, difficult to define, difficult to express. Love makes us experience all of life's joys, sorrows, desires, and disappointments. Love is happiness and passion, but also pain and heartache. Love must go through the bitterness, sweetness, and sorrow to become complete. Therefore, not all lovers end up together, and not all experience love in its happiest, most perfect form. Yet, it is through these emotions that the soul matures and becomes richer with each passing day. Xuân Diệu's poetry captures his heart for life and love. His words continue to resonate with readers, and his love poems live on through time, touching the hearts of every new generation.
2. I Must Speak
Poem's Lyrics:
Is loving passionately not enough?
Am I too greedy, asking for too much?
You’ve already said you love me...
Why do I still want to hear those old words?
- Loving with all my heart, is that still not enough?
If you love me, but keep it hidden in your heart,
Not showing it, not expressing affection, then it’s nothing.
Beauty is just made of marble
I crave you endlessly and perfectly
Do you know? I search for you constantly
The truth is now, and not tomorrow.
Will love ever grow old?
Loving so deeply, is that still not enough?
You must speak it, a hundred times, a thousand times
Your love must burn brightly, forever in spring nights
Let butterflies and birds flutter in the garden of love
You must speak, speak, and speak
With your eyes, your smile, your ful gaze
With your head lowered, your lips smiling, your hands tightly holding
With silence, with everything you know
The most important thing is that you should never be cold like winter.
Don’t be indifferent to a person whose heart is on fire
Don’t rest like a sleeping lake
Loving so deeply, is that still not enough?
About the Poem:
- Genre: Modern Literature
- Poetry Collection: Thơ Thơ (1938)
Overview of the Poem:
Throughout history, love between men and women has been filled with many emotions: romantic, dreamy, sacred, noble, mundane, physical, tragic, passionate, obsessive, and even flawed… These aspects of love are essential parts of human life, and Xuân Diệu’s poetry reflects love from many perspectives. For the poet, love is life itself. He cherishes the fleeting emotions of love as one would treasure the most precious yet fragile things. Xuân Diệu’s positive attitude toward life shows that he not only strives to preserve love but also venerates it as a true value, a desire that life itself aims for. He treasures love as he treasures his own life, and love, for him, is always the ultimate goal, one that leads a person to sacrifice without regret.
3. The Child of Love
Poem's Lyrics:
I wish for us to have a child,
A child as beautiful as you, never tiring to admire,
With eyes like yours, a face that mirrors yours,
A child who carries the bright love we share,
Our child would resemble you, but also me,
With a nose so straight, sincere and true,
Up close, far away, they'd look just like you,
With hair that waves like the winds of Quy Nhon,
But our child would look more like you,
In the way they move, speak, and think,
Except when they pout, for that’s all you,
When you’re upset, even the sky bows down,
Wanting to entwine our hair, to blend our lives,
Wanting our flesh and bones to bloom eternally,
My love, this child born of love,
"Love isn’t yet finished, affection not yet fulfilled."
About the Poem:
- Genre: Modern Literature
About the Poem:
This poem, written in 1966, is the essence of a heart ignited by the flame of love. Xuân Diệu longed to love and live passionately, and from this intense desire, he yearned for a witness to his love. Truly, reading his poetry allows one to taste every nuance of love's flavor.
4. Waiting for You
Poem's Lyrics:
In the late afternoon’s dim light,
I stand by the gate, waiting for you,
Watching every figure approach from afar,
Selecting the one that I recognize best,
Everyone seems to rush in haste,
Like birds returning to the forest at dusk,
The cyclists pass by with deep thoughts,
Thinking of their home, where the fire crackles.
I too have finished tending the stove,
With love, I bring out the meal,
Waiting for this moment all week long,
To serve you with the flavors I’ve carefully prepared.
But as the sunset deepens,
Your image remains fixed in my mind—oh, how familiar!
How many times I almost called out,
"You’ve arrived!" Only to comfort myself:
"Just wait a little longer."
I stand rooted, unwilling to leave,
My longing nurtures my patience,
I watch the faces of those rushing by,
Sympathizing with every farewell,
Even if I eat alone,
My heart stays strong, unwavering in its belief.
I miss you so much, my love,
I forget all the pain, as my heart burns with longing.
About the Poem:
- Genre: Modern Literature
- Date: March 18, 1976
About the Poem:
This poem captures a poetic scene, marked by a profound and meaningful atmosphere. The moments spent waiting for a loved one seem more beautiful and natural through the poet's reflections. Perhaps Xuân Diệu’s poetry has helped bring to life the graceful moments of love, word by word. Have you ever waited for someone? Can you relate to the feelings of the man in the poem?
5. Hurry, Hurry
Poem's Lyrics:
I want to stop the sun’s rays,
So their colors won’t fade away;
I want to tie the winds down,
So their scent won’t drift away.
This is the honeymoon of bees and butterflies;
This is the green fields of the countryside;
This is the soft leaves of the tender branches;
And here is the passionate song of the swallows.
And here is the light that flickers beneath my eyelids;
Every morning, joy knocks at my door;
January feels as sweet as a lover's kiss;
I am in bliss.
But there is haste in my joy:
I won’t wait for the summer to mourn spring.
Spring is coming, which means it’s already leaving,
Spring is still young, which means it will grow old,
And when spring ends, it means I too will be gone.
My heart is wide, but the heavens are narrow,
They won’t allow the youth of humanity to last,
Why speak of spring’s endless cycle,
If its return is not a reunion?
The heavens and earth remain, but I won’t live forever,
And so I sigh, grieving the world and all of time;
The scent of months and years fills me with a sense of loss,
The rivers and mountains quietly lament, bidding farewell...
The gentle breeze whispers through the emerald leaves,
Could it be angry at having to leave?
The birds sing cheerfully, then suddenly fall silent,
Is it because they fear the fading of their beauty?
Never again, oh! Never again...
Hurry, hurry!
The season hasn’t yet turned into evening,
I want to embrace
All the life that is just beginning to bloom;
I want to chase the clouds and whirl with the wind,
I want to be intoxicated by the butterfly's wings and love,
I want to capture it all in a single kiss—
The rivers, the trees, the vibrant grass,
To be overwhelmed by the fragrance, to be full of light,
To be sated by the vivid colors of youth;
- Oh, spring, I want to taste you!
About the Poem:
- Genre: Modern Literature
- Poetry Collection: Thơ Thơ (1938)
About the Poem:
This is one of Xuân Diệu’s most representative poems before the Revolution. It speaks from a soul that loves life passionately, yet behind this lies a new philosophical view on life, one that hadn’t been seen in traditional poetry. The poem reflects a bold and fresh perspective on living—a life of enjoyment, living fully in the moment. However, in *Vội Vàng* (Hurry, Hurry), the author only touches upon a life centered on indulgence and time’s rush. He calls on everyone to love and enjoy what life offers, to seize the time and youth to live to the fullest. Xuân Diệu forgets the duty of urging people to contribute to life; in his own life, he rushes to contribute, not to simply enjoy.
6. Spring Without a Season
Poem's Lyrics:
A little sunlight, a few wisps of dew,
Some green branches, a handful of loving hues—
That’s what spring is.
I ask for nothing more.
Spring already flows within my heart.
Spring is not just the three months of the season;
Spring is when sunlight randomly appears,
When birds on the branches sing poems;
Spring is when the winds come unexpectedly.
Winter, cold as ever, suddenly turns warm one day,
Clouds drift away, revealing a clear sky,
That’s spring.
The day is just warm enough,
Like holding a young, delicate hand…
Spring is in the middle of winter when the sun peeks;
In the middle of summer when the sky clears after rain;
In the middle of autumn when the breeze lifts
Random hues as they flutter through wide sleeves.
If the withered leaves on the branches do not fall,
And the flowers blush a deeper red than usual,
If a long-lost scent emerges from the longan tree,
That is spring.
What more am I waiting for?
Each morning, when promises are made in love,
Spring, oh spring, is forever in my heart,
When lovers meet on the road,
Pausing to share a smile, an awkward glance.
That’s the blood of joy that signals my heart about to bloom,
Once more, though many times it has faded.
That’s the soul spreading through the vast space,
To capture new, fresh connections.
That’s the wings fluttering gently inside my heart,
Feeling the subtle thrill, a sweet sensation.
That’s the letter of anticipation in my hands;
That’s the echo of voices from long ago,
On a morning when my heart resonates with a soft harmony…
As long as the sky is bright, my heart stirs with waves,
That is spring.
Why need birds, flowers?
What matters the season, the weather, the passing of time,
Love has no age, and spring has no fixed days.
7. The Sea
Poem's Lyrics:
I am not worthy to be the blue sea,
But I wish for you to be the white sandy shore.
The long, quiet beach
Reflecting the shining sunlight...
The beautiful shore with golden sands,
Gentle pines standing still,
Like silently dreaming,
Endlessly beside the waves...
I wish to be the blue waves,
Kissing your golden sands,
Kissing gently, softly,
Kissing forevermore.
Already kissed, I kiss again,
Until the end of time,
Until the heavens and earth collapse,
Only then will my passion cease...
Sometimes, I rush in fiercely,
Like grinding against your shore,
That’s when the tides of love
Overflow the shores of day and night.
I am not worthy to be the blue sea,
But I would still become the azure ocean,
To sing forever on the shore,
With an eternal, undying love.
So that when the foam splashes and turns white,
And the winds blow, scattering everywhere,
It feels like kissing for a thousand years, never satisfied,
Because I love you so much, my dear!
8. The Moon
In that garden under the night sky, the moonlight poured in abundance,
The pathways flooded with its soft glow.
My love and I walked silently...
Quiet, not daring to speak a word.
A feeling of hesitation, my feet reluctant to leave the golden path,
I feared the moonlit road would echo too loudly,
Bewildered, flowers of destiny hid behind the leaves,
And I feared making a mistake, missing the perfect moment.
Gently, the soft threads of moonlight strummed,
The wind danced gracefully, its branches swaying;
The breeze, tinged with sadness, calmed the restless night,
The delicate soul of the quiet night fluttered.
We walked quietly, immersed in the poetry of the moment,
Lost in a peaceful dream with no end in sight.
The moon was bright, distant, and vast!
Two people, yet still feeling so lost and alone.
Work Information:
- Genre: Modern Literature
- Poetry Collection: Tho Tho (1938)
About the Poem:
Xuân Diệu is a renowned poet known for his whimsical and passionate romantic poetry. His works captivate listeners, leaving a sense of longing and nostalgia. The moon is an eternal source of inspiration for him, and his moonlit poems speak of love's romance, pain, yearning, and regret.
9. Who is Xuân Diệu?
Ngô Xuân Diệu (February 2, 1916 — December 18, 1985), was a poet, journalist, short story writer, literary critic, and politician from Vietnam. He is one of the prominent poets of the New Poetry movement of the early 20th century.
Often hailed as "the most modern among the modern poets" and "the King of Love Poetry," Xuân Diệu gained fame for his collection Tho Tho (1938), which showcased a distinctive voice influenced by Western culture, particularly French symbolism. He was one of the first to introduce Western poetic techniques like enjambment into Vietnamese poetry, even while maintaining traditional forms such as the Lục Bát. From 1936 to 1944, his poetry reflected a pessimistic and despairing outlook on love, yet with an underlying surge of life force. As a result, Xuân Diệu earned the title of "King of Love Poetry".
After joining the Communist Party of Vietnam in 1945, his poetry shifted to praising the Vietnam Workers' Party, Hồ Chí Minh, and the anti-colonial struggles, and he stopped writing love poetry as frequently. By the time of his death in 1985, he had left behind approximately 450 poems, along with some short stories and critical essays. He was also a representative in the first National Assembly of Vietnam from Hải Dương.
10. What is Xuân Diệu's writing style?
Xuân Diệu is one of the leading figures in the New Poetry movement in Vietnam. His poetry, which spans a range of emotional tones, has made a lasting impression on readers. He is known as the "King of Love Poetry," radiating vibrant energy and a passion for life.
As the most modern of the modern poets, Xuân Diệu’s poetic style is always fresh, distinctive, and creatively uses language to captivate his audience. Anyone who has read his work will find it unforgettable. His relentless artistic labor not only affirms his talent but also serves as his way of connecting with the world, asserting his existence in life.
For this reason, Xuân Diệu is also known as the poet of spring, love, and youth. His poems express a deep love for life, a passionate desire to live to the fullest, and a thirst to embrace the beauty and pleasures of life.
After the August Revolution, Xuân Diệu's writing shifted towards realism, focusing on contemporary issues. With a strong sense of civic duty, he tirelessly wrote revolutionary poems, always maintaining an optimistic and life-affirming tone.
11. Separation
Poem Text:
There was a time you sat so far from me
I asked you to move closer
You shifted a little: I became upset.
You obediently moved a little more.
I was about to get angry, but you smiled and hurried
Close to me, whispering: "Here I am!"
I felt happy, but then suddenly sad.
Because I thought: it's still so far apart.
Your eyes, my love, are like a deep abyss!
Oh the distant sky, the brow of my lover!
What can we truly see beyond such beauty
When all I feel is the sorrow in my hands?
Even with trust: one life, one dream.
You are you, and I remain myself.
Could we ever cross the Great Wall
That divides two worlds full of secrets?
The memories of the past fade as time passes
Your past, you never share with me.
Our souls are hidden like the night,
We have not yet understood, nor will anyone else.
We search endlessly, doubting, or jealousy of fleeting shadows
I long to explore your dreams.
But I hide unexpected dreams from you
Just as you hide truths too real to reveal...
Press your heads together! Let our chests meet!
Let our short and long hair intertwine!
Wrap your arms tightly around me!
Let’s pour our love into the waves of our gazes!
Let’s seal it with our lips
So I can hear the touch of your pearly teeth;
In this intoxication, I will tell you:
"Move closer! It’s still so far apart!"
Work Information:
- Genre: Modern Literature
- Poetry Collection: Thơ Thơ (1938)
About the Poem:
Xuân Diệu, the "King of Love Poetry," wrote many poems cherished by readers. 'Separation' is one of his most celebrated love poems, offering a fresh perspective on love with emotions both intense and sweet as parting approaches.
A striking feature of Xuân Diệu's love poetry is his deep reflection on the lasting bond between lovers. He fears being separated from the one he loves. In his view, love should be an absolute union. Even when near his beloved, he dreads the inevitable day of separation.
'Separation' expresses a sad, longing love. Its bold, passionate verses draw the reader further into Xuân Diệu’s poetic world, making them feel even closer to his soul.
12. Longing in the Afternoon
Poem Text:
The day is cold, the sun sets early;
I miss you, my love! I miss you so much!
No sorrow is greater than quiet afternoons
Where light merges softly with the encroaching night.
The breeze drifts gently over the tangled grass;
Some pieces of the night lurk in the branches;
The clouds follow the birds to distant mountains,
Each flock moving in rhythm, silently.
The gray sky seems to be on the verge of tears
It's all over now! There’s nothing left, my love!
It’s all over, the wind, the moonlight on the doorstep.
With the dewdrops and fallen leaves above me,
No more anger, jealousy, or sorrow.
(How sweet it is to be angry, sometimes!)
Alone, I listen to the entire afternoon
Slowly creeping into my desolate soul.
I miss your voice. I miss your shape. I miss your image.
I miss you so much! Oh, how I miss you!
I miss myself from distant times gone by,
I miss the smile on your lips from far away.
I miss the way your eyes gaze at me intently!
The wind carries the storms of longing
- Oh, but memories, why do you keep calling me...
Longing is a defining element of love. Many have written of it, and it appears in various forms across poetry. Embracing the New Poetry movement, Xuân Diệu boldly expressed his passionate longing in this work. Each verse is a heartfelt call, a desperate plea to meet his beloved. With this direct expression, his poetry style stands apart from his peers. While Nguyễn Bính had a modest, shy approach, Xuân Diệu’s boldness leaves a stronger impression on readers.
Work Information:
- Genre: Modern Literature
- Poetry Collection: Thơ Thơ (1938)
About the Poem:
Longing is the purest form of missing someone. Though Tú Xương said, "Longing doesn’t belong only to lovers," the deep yearning of love truly captures the essence of longing. Xuân Diệu brings a new interpretation of this emotion, depicting not just the longing for a lover’s voice, form, or gaze, but also longing for oneself: "I miss the 'me' of distant days." It’s in this longing that a person relives the best part of themselves, filled with a fierce zest for life, self-confidence, and faith in love. Perhaps the message of love in 'Longing in the Afternoon' helps readers understand Xuân Diệu’s profound connection to life and love.
13. First Love
Poem Text:
I have only one first love to give
Wrapped in a letter, offered to you with all my heart
If you refuse it, my love is gone
A love once given can never be taken back
The letter is as thin as a lifetime of fleeting dreams
The love, as sorrowful as all partings
I fold the paper, keeping it close in my coat
It takes me hundreds of tries before I can finally send it
You tear it apart, like the fragile heart within
The clouds drift, and that day the mist covers the hills
It's over now, the flowers have wilted in the soil
How can they still smile, my dear?
I have only one first love to give
And once it was given to you, it is lost forever!
Work Information:
- Genre: Modern Literature
- Poetry Collection: Sending Fragrance to the Wind (1945)
About the Poem:
“First Love” is a well-known poem by Xuân Diệu, from his collection *Sending Fragrance to the Wind*. The poem expresses the poet’s sadness and regret over an unfulfilled first love. It tells the story of a pure, innocent love, full of hesitation and pain. The poet offers his first love to the woman he adores, along with a love letter. But she rejects it, tearing the letter apart. From that moment on, the poet loses his first love, and it is gone forever.
